Mofongo

Mofongo is green plantains mashed, molded and stuffed with vegetables, cheese, meat and seafood like chicken, pork or shrimp. This Afro-Puerto Rican dish is one of my favorites from the country. At the Puerto Rican restaurants in my neighborhood, Mofongo is what I’m getting most times. The roasted pork variation with its crackling skin and salted flesh, stuffed or mixed with garlicky mashed green plantains is beyond good. I’ve always wanted to make this uncomplicated dish. Not a lot of ingredients to it but a bit of elbow grease is needed.

Notes

– I baked the sliced plantains instead of frying them. And mashed it using a mortar and pestle. Drops of warm vegetables stock was used to help mash the plantains and add moisture.
– Three plantains gave me two small molds.
– Mofongo can be balled and served as a side dish. I used a ramekin to create small molds for myself.
– Stuffed with cooked mushrooms and no animal by products this variation is great for vegans and those that are “kinda sorta” on a diet like me.
– I ate the mofongo as a main dish with left over stewed red beans.

In a sauce pan or sauté pan, add enough oil to coat the bottom. To the hot oil add the crushed cloves of garlic to flavor the oil. Cook onions and pimiento pepper until the onions are translucent. Season with salt and black pepper. Add the green onions and set aside. In the same pan sauté add a teaspoon of olive oil and cook the mushrooms on high heat for about 5 minutes until lightly brown. Add the vegetables and taste for seasoning.

Assembly

In an oiled mortar, place a couple slices of plantains, 1 tsp. of minced garlic and 1 tsp. of olive oil. Using a pestle begin to pound and mix the slices until a mash is formed.

Using a small ramekin lined with plastic wrap, spoon and shape the bottom and the sides of the ramekin. Fill with mushrooms and add more of the mash plantains to cover. Gently press on the mold before transferring to a plate.